Europe anti-fraud group urges Ukraine to reform party funding

26th February 2014, 0 comments

The Council of Europe's anti-corruption group on Wednesday called on crisis-hit Ukraine to push for more transparency in the funding of political parties, warning its steps so far against fraud have been insufficient.

Ukraine to date has only implemented three of 16 recommendations made since 2011 by the Council's Group of States Against Corruption (GRECO), according to its published report.

Of major concern is the issue of funding political parties and campaigns.

"GRECO urges Ukraine to step up its efforts to significantly increase transparency in the funding of political parties and election campaigns and to pursue the reforms already initiated," the Council's statement said.

The anti-corruption report comes days after tumultuous changes in Ukraine, which saw Russian ally president Viktor Yanukovych ousted and go into hiding as parliament installed a pro-West interim leader with new elections planned for May 25.

Ukraine joined the Strasbourg-based Council of Europe, a human rights organisation of 47 member states, in 1995, a few years after gaining independence with the collapse of the Soviet Union.